Kanoni
by Queen Luana
Summary: In the Southern Airtemple, not long after the death of the previous avatar, Kanoni is born. She lives a happy life until she is burdened with the heavy tasks that befalls her.
1. Chapter 1

**Queen Luana**: Oh yes, it lives. Let's see if I can still do this.

* * *

Kanoni sped, manoeuvring her glider into the thick clouds

Kanoni sped, manoeuvring her glider into the thick clouds. She tried to cast a glance over her shoulder but saw nothing but a white fog. He could be so close right now. For all she knew, he could be right behind her. With a grunt she folded her glider and, while in free fall, used it to aid her air bending skills. With a powerful swing she sent a gust of wind right into the unknown. The clouds spread apart but she saw nothing. Where was he? Had he anticipated this attack? The adrenaline pumped through her veins as she unfolded the glider again and made her way down. Soon the pack of clouds grew thin and she saw the Southern temple. Nearly there…

There was hardly a soul in sight. Where had everyone run off to? Two maki's ran of in fear as she landed, folded her glider and hurried for cover. She pressed her back against the steady trunk of an old tree. Her heart was racing in her chest and she tried to catch her breath. Sweat drops tickled down the blue arrow on her forehead till they dripped from her nose. After she had gained her breath she peeked around the trunk and observed the vicinity. No one. Had he given up his pursuit?

A fierce blast of wind swept Kanoni of her feet and sent her through the air while screaming only to land flat on her back in the wet grass. She hardly had any time to sit up straight for her attacker had already landed at her feet, folded glider pressed against her chin.

"Well?" the young air bender demanded. Kanoni smiled feebly.

"Geesh, Ten, couldn't you have gone easy on me because it's my birthday?" she muttered and rubbed the back of her head painfully. His glider thudded into the meadow and soon he himself had fallen down as well, his lips pressed onto hers, his hands in her hair.

"Sixteen, gosh, you're old," he mumbled. "There, I think I see a wrinkle." As to silence him she hooked her hand in his neck and pulled his face down to kiss him once more.

"There you are!"

Faster than you could say 'air bending' Ten was back on his feet and Kanoni hastened herself to scrabble back up as well. An old woman hurried towards time, waving her arms enthusiastically. "I've been looking all over for you! The monks have news about the new avatar!"

The temple entrance was crowded with people, young ones as well as elderly. Kanoni hopped up and down but could barely see the shiny heads of the old monks. "Kanoni, up here." Ten had floated onto a nearby wall and he reached out his hand. Kanoni jumped up, floating up on the air current and sat down next to him. Even now, she could only just see their faces and their hands pleading everyone to calm down. After some time the fuss finally subsisted and Kanoni could hear them speak.

"The former avatar's eyes were glowing just a few hours ago," the eldest one spoke. "Avatar Koen appeared before me to announce the arrival of a new avatar and she is present here today!" The commotion started all over again and again the monks took efforts to calm everyone down. Only now the elder monk chose to speak above the fussy crowd. "She is among us! The avatar who was born here in the Southern air temple, sixteen years ago."

Ten squeezed his lover's hand as the monk scanned the crowd. "Where is Kanoni?"

The people went silent and looked at each other. One by one they started to turn around and found their new avatar sitting on a wall, face as pale as snow, knees buckling and eyes great with astonishment. Kanoni knew that she had been born nearly a day after the former avatar's death and she new that next one would be an air bender. But never had she considered the idea that she could just be the one. It all seemed so unnatural. Surreal. There had to be some mistake.

"All hail avatar Kanoni!" a monk spoke serenely and everyone sank to their knees. Everyone but Ten. He just sat there at her side, gazing at her. And not before long, she looked back.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

"I thought you weren't supposed to take anything with you."

"Yeah, well screw them, I need a matress and I need my jammies," Kanoni grumbled while strapping down Junes saddle. The Sky Bison moaned because she had pulled too tightly.

"Easy, there, it's a saddle, not a corset," Ten chuckled and helped her. Kanoni plumped down in the grass and gazed up at the sky.

"I just don't believe it," she pondered. "Of all people…"

"I think you're ready to go," Ten said and rubbed Junes belly. Kanoni looked at him sadly, but he ignored the look deliberately. Kanoni picked out some grass-stalks.

"Mastering the four elements," she mumbled and watched how the blades of grass twirled down from her hand. "Sounds heavy."

"You're an amazing airbender," Ten spoke. After rummaging through her bag he found a brush and started brushing Junes fur with it. She closed her eyes gratefully. "I'm sure the other elements will be no trouble at all for you. You _are_ the avatar." Kanoni lowered her head. She wished she wasn't. Was it wrong to think such a thing? She had never felt like the avatar and she didn't feel like one now. She watched Ten stroking June's fur.

How long would she be gone? For months? Years even? She got up.

Ten raised an eyebrow when he spotted Kanoni's outstretched hand. Maybe it was a little too formal for having dated for several years now. But saying goodbye to Ten, was saying goodbye to them. This won't last, she knew, not when I'm at the other side of the world. "Let's not make this sloppy," Kanoni said with a feeble smile.

Ten still studied the hand, as if it was the first time he saw one. Four fingers and a thumb with a shiny silvery ring. He didn't see the other hand, clenched into a fist behind Kanoni's back. Her way of fighting back tears. His eyes shifted to her face. That same smile was still there. In a swift move, Ten grabbed her wrist and pulled her close against his chest, then kissed her.

"How about passionate, then?" he asked her and she nodded.

"That I can live with," she said and finished that kiss with him. Neither of them spoke of the future. They hardly even said goodbye. After breaking up the kiss they didn't share another word. Kanoni mounted her Sky Bison, June took off. Ten's figure dissolved beneath the clouds in a matter of seconds, so she did not detect the clenched fist at his side.

"It's just us now, June," Kanoni sighed and rubbed the bison's head. She pulled uit a map from her saddlebag and folded it open. "Let's see her. I'm supposed to master the waterbending skills first. Then where else to go but the North Pole." She shivered and tucked the map away again. "Darn, I should've brought a coat." She slid into June's neck. "Oh well, no biggie. I'll just have to live with it. North Pole, here I come!"

June moaned when her rider grabbed the reins and changed direction to the north.

"Okay, maybe I should've just turned back to grab my cloak." Kanoni's teeth clattered. "The next avatar better learns to firebend first." June moaned and Kanoni widened her eyes. "Wow…" In the distance she saw the walls protecting the village on the North Pole. She had been told about them by travelling monks. They were white as snow, but impenetrable as rock. Beneath her she saw fishing boats, and the fishermen looked up curiously. Surely, they didn't see a flying bison too often.

June started descending as they reached the walls and when she had passed them, she landed on a pack of ice. Everything was made of ice in here. The buildings, the roads, the bridges…

Kanoni floated off June's back and checked the ground. Though made out of ice, it was not slippery.

"Hello, traveller."

Kanoni straightened and saw a woman dressed in blue had approached her. Kanoni bowed politely. "My name is Kanoni, I'm from the Southern Air Temple."

"Ah, the avatar," the woman said with glee. "You have arrived here early. Please, this way." Kanoni comforted June, then left her behind. As she followed the woman throughout the white alleys, she took much effort in figuring out how she had done her hair. It seemed a bit like a knot, but it was far too complicated to be one. Kanoni stroke her shoulderlength brown hair with one hand herself and envied her. She wanted such hair as well.

"Wow…" They had arrived at a large building now and started climbing the steps leading towards it. Some people had settled down on the stairs and Kanoni saw two boys her age water bending a puddle of water at the bottom of the stairs. She didn't have time to take a closer look, for they had already arrived at the large gates, which opened at their approach.

"Your majesty," the woman said and her voice echoed between the walls of the great hall they had entered. At the end Kanoni saw two thrones, a man and a woman seating in them. Both were dressed elegantly and the woman had a sort of serenity radiating from her. The man on the other hand seemed courageous and strong. "The avatar has arrived." She stepped aside and there Kanoni stood, bare and vulnerable.

"Thank you, Tekana," the woman seated in the left throne said, then looked at Kanoni, a smile spreading on her face. "Welcome, avatar Kanoni."

"I have come here to master the arts of waterbending," Kanoni said as she had rehearsed in her mind and bowed again.

"And you shall be given a great tutor," she smiled. The man sitting next to her rose. "My husband, Takumi, will teach you." Takumi smiled at her and Kanoni shrunk. Already she was missing Ten.

"Tell me avatar," Takumi spoke loudly, his voice was as strong as his appearance. "How eager are you to become a waterbender." Kanoni lifted her head up.

"I want to start today," she spoked determined.

Takumi grinned at her. "Excellent."


	3. Chapter 3

"No element is comparable to another," Takumi said. "And so, waterbending is nothing like airbending." Kanoni listened carefully. Both of them stood on a square amidst the snowy white buildings. Some of the villagers passed by, and others stood and watched curiously. Between Kanoni and Takumi was an oblong pond. The clear water sparkled in the afternoon sun. June was snoozing near the stairs of the palace and a couple of young children were busy petting her and tried to mount her saddle.

"While airbending is about swiftness and freedom," Takumi continued, "waterbending is all about tranquility and control." Kanoni nodded. Tranquility and control. Already she preferred airbending, it was more joyful and careless. Bending water seemed something a little more strict. "To become a waterbender, you must feel one with the water." He turned his hand round in circles and a nearly perfect ball of water rose from the pond. "See it as part of your body. Don't bend it, be it." He lowered his hand and the ball splashed down into the pond again.

"We will begin your training here," he said and Kanoni beamed. "Take off your boots." The radiating smile vanished from Kanoni's face and after checking if he was serious, which was responded by a harsh look, she started taking off her boots one by one. She squinted when she placed her bare feet on the cold ground.

"Step into the water," Takumi commanded. With a soft whimper Kanoni slipped one foot into the icy cold water, shuddered and placed the other one as well. "You will stay there as long as necessary for becoming one with the water. Once you feel you're ready, we can begin waterbending."

Kanoni didn't dare asking how long he _expected_ her to stay put. Fact was, after just a few minutes, she had begun to loose all feeling in her big toes. When she tried wiggling them Takumi snapped at her.

"Concentrate!" he barked. "Feel nothing but the water!" And so she stopped all movement and closed her eyes. As minutes and houres passed more people started gathering on the little square and Kanoni found it harder to stand still. Near the evening a sharp wind had risen and soared right through the few layers of clothing she was wearing. When she peeked through one closed eyelid she saw the sun setting behind the palace towers. But Takumi as did not move from his place.

"I'm going inside," he said at last when darkness had consumed the village. The onlookers had also returned to their homes and only June lied there, snoring softly. "You can go too if you feel like it." As soon as he had turned his back on her, Kanoni fell backwards down on the ground and pulled her feet from the water.

"Aw aw, so cold!" she cried and rubbed them. Takumi hesitated, sighed, then climbed the stairs and into the palace.

Kanoni rubbed her feet. Her toes had gotten an awful bluish shade and tingled. How long exactly was he expecting her to keep on doing this? She was sure at this rate, someday soon her feet would fall off.

"Kanoni?"

She looked up and saw it was Tekana. "My, how long have you been standing there?"

With a pelt wrapped around her shoulders and her feet in a hot water bath, Kanoni felt herself growing warmer and more at ease.

"I always knew Takumi's way of training was hard," Tekana spoke and sat down next to her. "But I think he's being extra severe because you're the avatar." Both of them had settled down in Tekana's house, a small cosy thing close to the palace.

"I knew being the avatar was hard," Kanoni said. She watched her toes wriggle in the foot-bath.

"But he's a great teacher," Tekana smiled. "I'm sure he's better than the previous one who taught the avatar."

"Oh really?" Kanoni asked.

"Yes, I'd say so," Tekana said. "I mean, it took the previous avatar two years to become a waterbender."

"TWO YEARS?" Kanoni shrieked but Tekana nodded calmly.

"Yes, well," she continued. "The last avatar was a firebender, so it's natural that he had lots of difficulty learning to waterbend, since they were opposite elements."

"Still," Kanoni sighed. "I was sort of hoping I'd be back at the temple in two years…" From the looks of it, it would take weeks for her to even _feel one_ with the water. So it would take months to learn how to waterbend. And if it'd take two years to become an earthbender...

"You shouldn't worry," Tekana comforted her. "If you give it your all, I'm sure you'll be back home in no time. How about you just get some rest. Tomorrow's another day, after all."

But Kanoni could hardly sleep. She just laid there, wrapped in her pelt, pondering. She caught herself thinking of Ten, of what he would be doing right now, and rolled over. She mustn't think of him. She had let him go when she had accepted her faith. Yet she was restless. Outside she heard one of June's moans and she sat up straight.

Takumi adjusted his belt and tied back his hair before stepping outside in the early sunlight. There was a soft breeze but the weather was mild. Takumi stretched and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the early morning air on his skin. When he opened his eyes and looked down the stairs he was surprised to see Kanoni, both feet in the pond and eyes closed.

"How long has she been here?" he asked a bystander.

"Passed by here around sunrise, she was already there," he said and shrugged. "Could've been minutes, could've been hours."

Takumi watched her with interest. She didn't flinch, she didn't move. Only the wind played with her clothes and hair. A pleased smile spread on his face. He stood there and watched. Even when he climbed the stairs again that evening, Kanoni hadn't moved. She still stood there with a determined look on her face, and her eyes closed in pure calmness.

The night passed and Takumi was less surprised to see her the other morning in the same position as the day before. Only now, when he descended the stairs, she opened her eyes and stared at him, fiercely.

"I'm ready," she said and he nodded, with a smile.

"So you are."


	4. Chapter 4

Kanoni's first lesson took place early in the morning. Takumi had allowed her to regain her strength first and she had done so, warming herself near a small fire Tekana had lit for her. She had eaten roasted fish for the first time, which she had found delicious, and then had slept for fourteen straight hours. Now, as the sun began to rise, Kanoni and her master were standing on the same square and hardly felt the cold wind anymore.

"Here we begin your training," Takumi said. "Now that you have learned to unite with the water, you will learn how to manipulate it." Kanoni smiled. These lessons couldn't go fast enough. After water, there'd be earth, and she might have to spend years learning how to bend it. "We will begin with the basics."

Instead of the small pond, there were now two bowls placed in between them. One was filled with water, the other one wasn't. With the sun now starting to rise above the buildings, it's early rays reflected in the icy water. Some small children sat on the stairs watching her. She was quite the attraction.

"Simply let the water flow from one bowl to the other," Takumi said. "Watch my moves." He spread his legs slightly and then motioned one hand towards the bowl while the other seemed to be pulling the water out of it. Very smoothly, the water soared through the air and poured down into the empty bowl. It didn't seem all that hard.

Takumi gave Kanoni a nod and while taking a deep breath she too spread her legs and extended her arms. Not quite as smooth but still steadily the water left the bowl. Kanoni bit her lip trying to recall every move Takumi had made and guided the water towards the other bowl with succes.

"Excellent," Takumi said. "If you continue learning at this rate, mastering the water bending shouldn't take more than a few months."

Kanoni smiled with glee. Exactly what she had been hoping to hear.

"Again," Takumi said. "We'll refine this and then move on."

By the end of the day, Kanoni had learned how to manipulate the water to her will with exact precision and had started on learning how to change the water's physical state as well. Takumi had been pleased to see how fast she gained progress so they had wrapped up early so Kanoni would have some free time. Although it was immediately consumed by the enthusiastic water tribe children.

"Did it hurt?" a small curious boy asked as he pointed a tiny finger at Kanoni's arrow.

"Yes, a little," she smiled and rubbed her forehead. "But that's what makes you strong."

"I want one too!" another boy cried and this was endorsed by the other boys though the girls seemed a little repelled by the idea of having a large blue arrow running across their body.

"Show us some air bending, avatar Kanoni!" a pigtailed girl implored and the others started whining too.

"Hey, cut the avatar some slack, she's been training all day."

Kanoni turned and saw that a young man had approached her. "Go on, shoot," he said and a little disappointed the children spread out.

"Thank you," Kanoni smiled. "It got a bit overwhelming."

"Anything for the avatar," he smiled in return. "I'm Howa." He sat down next to her on the cold stairs and as he did Kanoni took a closer look. He wore the average water tribe outfit and his brown hair was pulled back in a small pigtail while the sides of his head were shaved. "I saw your water bending. You learn quickly."

"Well, I am the avatar," Kanoni said. "So it shouldn't be a problem." She leaned back and stared at the sky. "I can't wait till I can show everyone had home."

"Your family will be very excited," Howa said and Kanoni closed her eyes.

"I don't have any family," she said.

"Oh."

"My mother died at childbirth," Kanoni explained, "and my father couldn't handle it so he fled the Southern Airtemple, leaving everything that could remind him of her, including me, behind. An old female monk raised me, but she died last year. Looking back at it, I think she knew I was the next avatar. She was the one that insisted that I learned how to airbend as fast as possible and she taught me a great deal about the former avatars. It's sad that she wasn't able to see me becoming the next avatar."

"She would've been very proud," Howa said and she nodded. "But there must be other people waiting to see you again. Close friends and all?"

Kanoni was silent.

"Ten, leave her alone, she never wants to go and play," a boy cried at the nine year old Ten who had started approaching the young Kanoni. Ten looked back for a moment but chose to ignore the warning and walked over to the little girl. Being two years younger, lots of the other kids found her too childish to be bothered with. Plus, she was very introverted and didn't say much. Thus she was very surprised to see Ten suddenly standing in front of her.

"_Hi," he smiled and Kanoni quickly lowered her head again. "You live with Kana, right?"_

_Kanoni hesitated then nodded slightly._

"_Er, don't you want to come and play?" Ten tried again. "We're gonna play hide and seek. I know some great hiding places. They'll never find us!"_

"_Kanoni!" Both of them looked up when an old woman shuffled closer. "Is air bending class over?"_

_Kanoni jumped to her feet. "Yes, Kana."_

"_Then come on home," she said. "I want to tell you more about the fire bender Roko." Only now Kana eyed the little boy. "Ah young Ten, isn't it?" she smiled broadly and her many wrinkles pulled together making her look even older. "Do you want to hear about the great avatar Roko as well?"_

_Although Ten's expression meant 'no' in every way he still nodded politely. _

"_Excellent," Kana said gleefully. "Then let's go back home."_

_Ten had endured Kana's endless stories of not only Roko but also many other former avatars. Once in a while he had peeked at Kanoni and had found she was watching him as well, only to avert her face blushing whenever their eyes met._

_The next day at air bending class, Ten approached Kanoni again, under the many incredible looks of the other children. "Hi," he greeted her again. "Can I come over again today and listen to Kana's stories?"_

_Kanoni nodded quietly and that evening he came along again and spent hours sitting in front Kana's house next to Kanoni on a bench, while Kana rambled on about the great avatars. A week after the first time he had come over and approached Kanoni yet again, he was nearly knocked off his feet when she looked up at him and said: "Don't be ridiculous. You hate her stories."_

_Many others gasped at hearing her speak. Ten smiled. "Will you come and play with us then?"_

_Kanoni blushed. "Sure."_

"Yeah, a few," Kanoni lied. Even though from that moment on she had played with the others kids, she had never really befriended them. It was all about Ten. And he was all about her.

The sun had begun to set. "I better go get some sleep."

"Training again tomorrow huh," Howa smiled. "Of course. Always busy."

Kanoni got up with help of her air bending and landed softly on her feet.

"Nice," Howa smiled and stood up as well. "Well, then, avatar, goodnight."

"Just call me Kanoni," she smiled and darted off.


End file.
